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Tony Evers' pick for Department of Transportation could face rough road to confirmation

MADISON - Gov.-elect Tony Evers on Friday added four more faces to his Cabinet — including an advocate of raising revenue for Wisconsin roads to lead the state's Department of Transportation.

But the GOP leader of the state Senate cast doubt on Evers' pick for DOT just hours after his name was announced, putting the lobbyist's confirmation in jeopardy.

Evers named new leaders of agencies overseeing public utilities, insurance, agriculture and transportation. Among them is Craig Thompson, executive director of the Wisconsin Transportation Development Association, as DOT secretary.

Transportation has been a divisive and controversial issue in recent years and most recently set Evers apart from Gov. Scott Walker in the general election.

Thompson would take over an agency with recent turnover as officials there struggled to find common ground with Walker, who would not entertain the idea of raising the state's tax burden to pay for road projects.

"It's a daunting endeavor — I don't underestimate that. But I'm ready to get started," Thompson said at a Friday news conference in Madison.

Thompson was a vocal advocate of finding new revenue for road projects during a protracted debate during the last state budget cycle, during which disagreements over transportation funding prompted an impasse among Republicans and delayed passage of the 2017-'19 state budget.

Thompson has said raising the state's gas tax or increasing license plate registration fees would be necessary to find a long-term solution for road projects, and his organization is behind the "Just Fix It" campaign.

The "Just Fix It" campaign advocated during the 2018 election cycle for more revenue for roads, which was perceived by some as campaigning against the sitting governor.

Thompson could have a rough road to confirmation. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said in a statement Friday: "Governor-elect Evers would be better served by nominating someone who worked in a less controversial role during previous policy debates."

In an interview on WISN-AM (1130), Fitzgerald said some GOP senators have said Thompson's past role as a lobbyist "seems possibly inappropriate or a little out of line with what they would expect when the Gov.-elect puts a name out there."

Fitzgerald also said a group of Republican senators in southeastern Wisconsin will likely want to see a DOT secretary that is going to "want to see efficiency within the transportation budget."

"This appointment looks like a political payback," Stroebel said in a statement. "Rewarding one of the leaders of the full-spectrum campaign to attack Governor Scott Walker's transportation reforms with a top spot in state government is a generous, taxpayer-funded thank-you to a political ally."

A spokeswoman for Evers did not respond to questions about the criticism.

Assembly Republicans in the past budget cycle sided with Thompson's view on revenue, while Walker refused to sign a budget that raised the state's tax burden, prompting Fitzgerald to reject the idea, too.

On Friday, Thompson said he and Evers have not yet decided whether an increase in the state's gas tax is appropriate and if so, how large.

As he ran against Walker, Evers made road funding key to his campaign and said he would explore all options available to improve the state's roads and highways, including raising the state's gas tax.

Craig Thompson won the endorsement of former Republican Gov. Tommy Thompson on Friday, who said Craig Thompson (no relation) "understands the needs of our transportation system as well as anyone who has ever held the position."

Evers also on Friday announced he has appointed Brad Pfaff to lead the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Pfaff currently works for U.S. Rep. Ron Kind and previously oversaw the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency under the Obama administration.

Rebecca Cameron Valcq, an attorney at Quarles & Brady in the Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Practice Group, will lead the Public Service Commission. She previously worked as a regulatory counsel for We Energies.

And American Family Chief Legal Officer Mark Afable will serve as the commissioner of insurance.

Earlier this week, Evers announced his choices to lead the state Department of Natural Resources, Department of Administration, Department of Corrections and Department of Tourism.

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